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Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1930, Page 4

Parliament lorn contrived to stretch into another week,' but the end should soon arrive now. Members have errtainly been loquacious this scission, and since the departure of Mr Forbes, have enjoyed a free rein, and made the most of tIHr liberty. Mr Ransom has not been over-exacting! He has not had a docile majority .at his bidding to drive the House, and has been content to give plenty of scope for disc*jhsion, so that there need he no complaint this Heasjon about hasty legislation. The/ Government, nevertheless, has maintained its policy and has been true to fts promise to endeavour tq cut down expenditure and endeavour to live within its means. Op two opcasjons when the Government sought to widen it's economical measures, it has met with minor defeats by a House inclined to be nonspendthrift. However, Mr Ransom wa.s a.ljlo to dispose to meniiVrs recently, further evidence that the policy of the Government had been on the right lines, In the first five months of the current financial year the revenue declined by £586,000, bvu | the decrease in expenditure was little more—£69o,ooo. Jt is thus absurd to /say that the Government ha* not made .economies. Mr Ransom reminded the House of the difference between precept and practice in economy to which we called attention the other day. T!he Government had cut down the Agricutural vote, but the House voted for The restoration of the reduction. The acting-Prime Minister made nn effective point when lie cornua Opposition’s criticisms of the Budget with the present complaint that the Government's measures to. cope with the economic situation were not drastic enough. His comments on the proposal to reduce wagrp were vigorous. He and his colleagues, as we remarked some days a,go, realise how mischievous is the suggestion of acute crisis and emergency measures that tho Opposition has put forward, They realise, too, how unfair it would' ho to seek tho eajsy solution of our troubles in a general reduction qf wages. If, said Mr Ransom, Labour was to be called upon to make a sacrifice ir. this time of stress, then 'Capital should b<?\ asked tq make a similar sacrifice. It is true of course, that Capital is making sacrifices in reduction of dividends and lciss of capital, : On the other hand, it must Ibe borne in mind that while wages controlled by the Arbitration Court have not been reduced, there are thousands of workers without any wages at all, and many others wh.o are working short time. There is no guarantee that a general reduction in wages would benefit the farmer and the whole community. The farmer pays wages so low that it is difficult to see how they equld he reduced at all, and an allround lowering of wages would reduce purchasing power and weaken the farmer’s home majket, There wrn the proposal for an industrial conference, as well as a. special session to discuss the railway policy, but the ac.ting-Prime Minister did not favour the suggestions, Be does not believe that the rate of wages should be settled by Parliament, but through the regular channels for that purpose. Mr Ransom on behalf of the Government, is prepared, also, to await the report and' investigation of the special Parliamentary committee regarding the railway policy, and in that connection it is not without interest to note that the question of the extension of the Westland railway into the southern district is engaging the attention of the authorities just now, the next stage being to the InterWanganui district. From the general situation within Parliament,, it would appear the Government by wise administration has added steadily to its prestige and stands well with the country at large,